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Global experts present potential solutions to support healthy aging from Novartis businesses and R&D organization
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The 11th annual event brings 60 top university students from 25 countries and territories to Novartis headquarters in Basel, Switzerland
Basel, August 25, 2014 - Novartis today opened its eleventh annual International Biotechnology Leadership Camp (BioCamp), a three-day seminar bringing biotechnology and business experts together with more than 60 selected students from leading international universities in 25 countries and territories focused on the challenges of a growing aging population.
According to the World Health Organization, the population of people 60 years of age and older has doubled since 1980 and is forecast to reach 2 billion by 2050, when this age group will outnumber children up to 15 years of age. While supported by better scientific understanding of childhood diseases and stronger maternal healthcare, this shift brings complex healthcare challenges to governments, providers and the public. At BioCamp, students and experts explore these challenges and potential solutions.
"A rapidly-expanding aging population and the rise of chronic diseases are forcing changes in healthcare. These changes also offer an opportunity to rethink the model for treating patients," said Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Novartis. "All healthcare system stakeholders need to collaborate and align on the common goal of improving outcomes, instead of focusing on their individual transactions. This is the only way we can control costs and provide care for an aging population."
In addition to remarks from Mr. Jimenez, presentations from Novartis experts will focus on critical issues facing the global healthcare system and economy. Discussion topics include the company`s regenerative medicine programs and the impact of aging on eye health. The program also features a talk by Dr. Ferath Kherif, leader of `The Human Brain Project`, an EU Flagship initiative in which scientists of 112 institutions in 24 countries bring biology and modern information technologies together to better understand the human brain and its diseases.
International BioCamp participants interact with key Novartis scientists who lead the company`s unique approach to drug discovery and learn about breakthrough medicines to address patients` unmet medical needs. The interactive program is designed to help students understand trends and challenges in the biotechnology and life-sciences sectors, as well as receive first-hand experience about starting and running a biotech company. BioCamp also allows students to explore career opportunities in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries and network with talented students from other countries.
During BioCamp, students will have the opportunity to visit Novartis laboratories and meet with researchers who believe they now have a better understanding of the biology around vision loss, muscle wasting and hearing and balance disorders to treatments for an aging population. The program is set at the Novartis Campus in Basel, global headquarters of the company and home to approximately 7 500 associates.
On the final day of the program, BioCamp participants, working in groups, will present business cases to a jury of experts. The jury will select three individual winners and one winning team based on their contribution, performance, leadership and teamwork. This year, applicants were accepted from 18 countries as well as through 7 local and regional BioCamp programs run in, India, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Slovenia and Taiwan.
Workshops and presentations will be led by industry experts including Joseph Jimenez, Novartis CEO; André Wyss, Country President, Novartis Switzerland Head Novartis Business Services; Dhavalkumar D. Patel, M.D., Ph.D. Head of Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR), Europe; Vas Narasimhan, M.D. MPP, Global Head Development, Novartis Pharmaceuticals; - Rainer Boehm, Chief Commercial Officer General Medicines, Novartis Pharmaceuticals; Ronenn Roubenoff, MD, MHS, Head Translational Medicine, MusculoSkeletal Disease, NIBR; Joseph Rappon, OD, MS, FAAO, Head of Clinical Development, Vision Care R&D, Alcon; and Dr. Ferath Kherif - Deputy Director of the Neuroimaging Research Laboratory (LREN) and Co-Chair of Medical Informatics Platform for the Human Brain Project (HBP), CHUV/University of Lausanne.
About BioCamp
Launched in 2003 in Taiwan, BioCamp has developed into an international forum for science and business students from around the world to learn, exchange ideas and work together in a highly competitive business environment. Previously hosted in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Cambridge, Massachusetts, today`s seminar marks the fifth International BioCamp hosted at the state-of-the-art Novartis global headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.
Disclaimer
This press release contains expressed or implied forward-looking statements, including statements that can be identified by terminology such as "potential," "forecast," "will," or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Group regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such statements. These expectations could be affected by, among other things, risks and factors referred to in the Risk Factors section of Novartis AG`s current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update it in the future.
About Novartis
Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines, over-the-counter and animal health products. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2013, the Group achieved net sales of USD 57.9 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.9 billion (USD 9.6 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges). Novartis Group companies employ approximately 135,000 full-time-equivalent associates and sell products in more than 150 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.
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Source: Novartis International AG via GlobeNewswire
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